Table of Contents

With GroundControl it is extremely easy to set up an interactive online event. In this tutorial series, we are going to walk you step by step in creating your first online event. In this part: Setting up your streams, breakouts and other content.

Where do I set up my streams, breakouts and other content?

When you are logged in, go to Timeline. This is the place to schedule all your content: from YouTube live streams to breakout video conferences. You see your first track here. A track is a timeline on which you can put items, such as a video or live stream.

You can add extra tracks yourself. As you can see, the track that you get by default is visible to everyone, because it is a plenary track. You can add additional tracks. Those extra tracks may have different audiences. For example, you can create a track for a specific group (targeted track), or for many groups (breakout track).

Important: the bottom track is always dominant. If a participant has access to multiple tracks at the same time, based on your settings, the track that is lowest is visible for them.

Create your first item

At the top right of the screen you will see three icons. Make sure the icon on the far right is selected. This allows you to create a new item on one of your tracks. Just try! Drag a bar on any time slot on your main track.

You will now be given a choice between three items:

• Webcast - Do you want to add an image, such as a video or a video call? Then choose for webcast.

• Call-to-action - Do you want a button to appear during the livestream? Then add a call to action.

• Info - Want to add extra text on the side? For example, an announcement or warning? Then choose an Info item.

• Script - For when you want to add a script to your timeline. Note: this can also be done via the normal planner.

Choose webcast to continue.

Adding a YouTube video/livestream

Give your webcast a title and possibly a subtitle. You can also determine how long your item will last.

Then press on Content. Here you can choose from three options: None (you are not adding any content yet), URL (insert a URL, for example of a live stream or static video), Conference call (video call between two or more participants).

We now choose URL. Find a video on YouTube (this can also be a live stream video). We choose this video, completely in the GroundControl theme! Then make sure to copy the embed URL of the video or live stream. You can find out how to do that for YouTube and other video services here. For our video, it's https://www.youtube.com/embed/iYYRH4apXDo.

Then paste the URL into the text field and click Save. Congratulations! You have added your first video. If you now click on Publish Changes, the changes will be visible to your participants.

To get your video to start playing right away, add this code to the end of your embed URL: ?autoplay=1&mute=1. That way you ensure that autoplay is activated.

How do I create an online video call?

Let's create an extra track. Click on the + sign below your Main track. You can now choose from three different track types. We opt for a targeted track. Give your track a name. If you now click on the three dots next to the name of your track, you can click on Edit targeting. Here you can select a group. This ensures that only the group you select will see this track.

Click Save. Just like in step 1, create an item on your track, this time on your new track.

Choose Webcast again and enter a title. This time, choose to make a Conference call.

Here you have some additional choices. For example, you can choose to first welcome your guests in a lobby, or let them start without sharing audio and/or video. Click Save.

The participants in the group (in our example: Group a) now end up in a conference call after the YouTube video, where they can discuss with each other.

Soon, the other parts in this tutorial will follow. Good luck!